Pages

Sunday, July 15, 2007

It occurred to me after Friday night’s game that I had a chance to be present at what didn’t seem to be that big of an achievement. I have a Sunday plan that gives us an opportunity to get out to the ballpark at least 14 games a year with the Sunday game package. Saturday night’s big win over the Cardinals was my signal that we could indeed be in attendance for the game that everyone has been talking about this first half of the year of Phillies baseball. It could have been a sweep of the Cards or it would go into the record book as the big loss that the stats people have been keeping since 1883.

The Phillies looked really deflated after their two monster wins of the Cards. I knew after the third inning that this was going to be the night. Adam Eaton would find his name etched in Philly history if he made it far enough into the game before he would be pulled out. He didn’t disappoint, I am not really a big fan of pace of which Eaton pitches. He takes forever to pitch on the mound, and between pitches he wonders off the mound and generally doesn’t have a good command of the proper cadence of a game. I knew this before this game, but seeing him pitch this game solidified my opinion of this. The fielders get itchy out there standing around for so long, and it just seems like he goes off onto his own slow pace which hasn’t been all that successful this season, despite he has 8 wins. A lot of those games has just been the offense going out and outscoring the 5.69 runs a game that Eaton has been giving up.

I got home after the game and reviewed the ESPN game coverage of the game that was the featured game on Sunday Night Baseball. Announcers Joe Morgan and John Miller discussed the 10,000 loss mark and what it means if anything. They even brought ex-Phillie John Kruk into the discussion and they all agreed that Phillies fans like players that give it a full effort. I agree with that, but it goes further than that. A lot of great players have been booed by fans, maybe it’s just a way for the fan to take out their own frustrations with the team, I am not sure. Morgan said that the Philly fans like a great effort from their players and he tried to give that to them despite it being late in his career.

The ESPN coverage started out right from the opening of the broadcast though, they put up numbers of losing seasons, and number of times the team finished in last place, and so on. That coverage was unfair, it really looked like some sort of smear campaign for a minute or two. That’s the difference between having fun with a number like this and making a team look like a bunch of losers.

We left after the seventh inning stretch, I started thinking about how many Phillies games I’ve been to. I remembered Mike Schmidt’s winning walk off homers, Greg Luzinski’s blasts into the seats in Veteran’s Stadium, Steve Carlton’s magnificent strikeouts and other memories that I have. So thanks for the 1,000,000 memories that I have, I never even noticed the team had 10,000 losses and now that the record has been passed I am glad that it will never come up again probably. Thanks for the memories Philadelphia Phillies, me and my Mrs. are still Phillies fans!

Yes, it is getting so much press, what a meaningless figure. It is a testament that the Phils have been around so long. 1883 is a different lifetime ago! 125 seasons of fun though for the people who like baseball and like the Phillies.

Rich

p.s. Yes, my ticket stubs are being saved for this one! 10,000 losses, I should sell them to the highest bidder on ebay!

Yes, it is getting so much press, what a meaningless figure. It is a testament that the Phils have been around so long. 1883 is a different lifetime ago! 125 seasons of fun though for the people who like baseball and like the Phillies.

Rich

p.s. Yes, my ticket stubs are being saved for this one! 10,000 losses, I should sell them to the highest bidder on ebay!

Yes, it is getting so much press, what a meaningless figure. It is a testament that the Phils have been around so long. 1883 is a different lifetime ago! 125 seasons of fun though for the people who like baseball and like the Phillies.

Rich

p.s. Yes, my ticket stubs are being saved for this one! 10,000 losses, I should sell them to the highest bidder on ebay!

Disclosure

The contents of this website and accompanying podcast called 'Phillies Talk' is an independent entity and not related to the Philadelphia Phillies or Major League baseball.

These disclosure elements also are in use by myself and the FightinPhillies.com blog:

This policy is valid from 13 May 2012

This blog is a personal blog written and edited by Rich Baxter, and other writers. For questions about this blog, please contact rich@fightinphillies.com

The views and opinions expressed on this site is our own.

This blog accepts forms of advertising, sponsorship, or other forms of compensation.

The compensation received may or may not influence the advertising content, topics or posts made in this blog. (Though it is not typical) That content, advertising space or post may not always be identified as paid or sponsored content.(Such as links to products etc.)